Nagga

Theravāda Vinaya

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

Bhikkhunivibhaṅga

The Nuns’ Analysis

Pācittiyakaṇḍa

The chapter on offenses entailing confession

Naggavagga

The subchapter on nakedness

21. Naggasikkhāpada

Bathing naked

Origin story

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery,

Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhuniyo aciravatiyā nadiyā vesiyāhi saddhiṁ naggā ekatitthe nahāyanti.

a number of nuns were bathing naked at a ford in the river Aciravatī together with sex workers.

Vesiyā tā bhikkhuniyo uppaṇḍesuṁ—

The sex workers teased them,

“kiṁ nu kho nāma tumhākaṁ, ayye, daharānaṁ brahmacariyaṁ ciṇṇena, nanu nāma kāmā paribhuñjitabbā.

“Venerables, why practice the spiritual life when you’re still young? Why not enjoy worldly pleasures?

Yadā jiṇṇā bhavissatha tadā brahmacariyaṁ carissatha.

You can practice the spiritual life when you’re old.

Evaṁ tumhākaṁ ubho atthā pariggahitā bhavissantī”ti.

In this way you’ll get the benefits of both.”

Bhikkhuniyo vesiyāhi uppaṇḍiyamānā maṅkū ahesuṁ.

The nuns felt humiliated.

Atha kho tā bhikkhuniyo upassayaṁ gantvā bhikkhunīnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ.

They then went to the nunnery and told the nuns what had happened.

Bhikkhuniyo bhikkhūnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ.

The nuns told the monks,

Bhikkhū bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ.

who in turn told the Buddha.

Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—

Soon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks:

“tena hi, bhikkhave, bhikkhunīnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññapessāmi dasa atthavase paṭicca—

“Well then, monks, I will lay down a training rule for the nuns for the following ten reasons:

saṅghasuṭṭhutāya …pe…

for the well-being of the Sangha …

vinayānuggahāya.

for supporting the training.

Evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—

And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

Final ruling

“Yā pana bhikkhunī naggā nahāyeyya, pācittiyan”ti.

‘If a nun bathes naked, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions

Yā panāti

A:

yā yādisā …pe…

whoever …

bhikkhunīti

Nun:

…pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippetā bhikkhunīti.

… The nun who has been given the full ordination in unanimity by both Sanghas through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of nun is meant in this case.

Naggā nahāyeyyāti

Bathes naked:

anivatthā vā apārutā vā nahāyati, payoge dukkaṭaṁ.

if she bathes without wearing a sarong or an upper robe, then for the effort there is an act of wrong conduct.

Nahānapariyosāne āpatti pācittiyassa.

At the end of the bath, she commits an offense entailing confession.

Non-offenses

Anāpatti—

There is no offense:

acchinnacīvarikāya vā naṭṭhacīvarikāya vā,

if her robes have been stolen or lost;

āpadāsu,

if there is an emergency;

ummattikāya,

if she is insane;

ādikammikāyāti.

if she is the first offender.

Paṭhamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.

The first training rule is finished.